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Kingdom of Blighted Thorns #1
A Kingdom of Bitter Magic
A dragon rider seeking revenge for the death of her brother. A ruthless fae lord with his own agenda. A love that will drop the fae kingdom to its knees.
I’m nothing but an orphan, a dragon trainer in one of the many border fortresses. When beasts attack the villages, I ride, driving them back to the hellscape they crawled from.
When my adopted brother’s killed during battle, I discover who’s controlling the invading beasts—the brutal ruler of the neighboring fae kingdom. A gruesome plot is brewing beneath the glimmering fae surface, and he’s responsible for it all. Now vengeance is all I live for. No matter how powerful or well-guarded the king is, I will avenge my brother. This I swear.
To infiltrate the king’s court, I’m forced to make a deal with Vexxion, a devastatingly beautiful and equally malicious fae lord. In exchange for getting me close to the king, I’ll allow Vexxion to collar me at the upcoming Claiming. He’ll train me, and I’ll give him access to my supposedly dormant magic. Little does he know I have no power for him to harness.
Surrendering to Vexxion’s seductive allure could fracture what little remains of my heart. Falling for him could destroy my wounded soul.
But learning his wicked secrets could shatter me completely.
A Kingdom of Bitter Magic is Book 1 in the Kingdom of Blighted Thorns trilogy. Expect spice, suspense, a ruthless, determined woman, and a fae lord with stalker-like tendencies who will stop at nothing to claim her as his own.
I’m nothing but an orphan, a dragon trainer in one of the many border fortresses. When beasts attack the villages, I ride, driving them back to the hellscape they crawled from.
When my adopted brother’s killed during battle, I discover who’s controlling the invading beasts—the brutal ruler of the neighboring fae kingdom. A gruesome plot is brewing beneath the glimmering fae surface, and he’s responsible for it all. Now vengeance is all I live for. No matter how powerful or well-guarded the king is, I will avenge my brother. This I swear.
To infiltrate the king’s court, I’m forced to make a deal with Vexxion, a devastatingly beautiful and equally malicious fae lord. In exchange for getting me close to the king, I’ll allow Vexxion to collar me at the upcoming Claiming. He’ll train me, and I’ll give him access to my supposedly dormant magic. Little does he know I have no power for him to harness.
Surrendering to Vexxion’s seductive allure could fracture what little remains of my heart. Falling for him could destroy my wounded soul.
But learning his wicked secrets could shatter me completely.
A Kingdom of Bitter Magic is Book 1 in the Kingdom of Blighted Thorns trilogy. Expect spice, suspense, a ruthless, determined woman, and a fae lord with stalker-like tendencies who will stop at nothing to claim her as his own.
526 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 1, 2024
2275 people are currently reading
7147 people want to read
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May 10, 2024DNF at 10%.
The book sounded promising but unfortunately the writing style wasn’t for me and I couldn’t get into the story.
Wasn’t a fan of the insta-lust and banter between characters who had never met each other before.
The book sounded promising but unfortunately the writing style wasn’t for me and I couldn’t get into the story.
Wasn’t a fan of the insta-lust and banter between characters who had never met each other before.
April 21, 2024
I really am lucky with my ARCs, I truly am. When I discovered Alaya and her work, something told this would be a perfect book for me. And it was! I'm sitting here, trying my best to write a review that will manage to convey just how good this book is and how much I loved reading it. And hopefully, my review will make people stop for a second and give this gorgeous book a chance. I will do my best to hype it up since it deserves it 🤍
A Kingdom of Bitter Magic is Book 1 in the Kingdom of Blighted Thorns series by Alaya Wells. It is a romantasy, written in dual POV, which is great since we get both sides of the story, of both main characters. The world-building is excellent, and while we are not showered with big chunks of information, we still get the story, the history, we understand what is going on between the Faes and the humans, we see the devastation, we learn who and what are dregs and Lieges. I won't spoil too much, but let me tell you - we are in the world divided by Faes and humans (Nullens), filled with dragons and dragon riders, humans fighting dregs and Lieges who destroy everything they see and take humans to fulfill theirs (or somebody else's) power-hungry goals.
We follow Tempest, a Nullen dragon trainer and rider fighting dregs while trying to find the good in her world and her surrounding. And we follow Vexxion, a prime example of a morally grey MMC, the one who would burn the world for her while still keeping secrets and goals we are yet to discover.
I feel like sometimes FMCs in romantasies tend to all look alike a bit, but that is not the case with Tempest. I loved how Alaya portrayed all of her layers - Tempest is fierce, strong and determined, but she is also full of love, kind and gentle. She loves her friends, the dragons she trains, and she truly gives it all. She is afraid of love and emotions, the pain that comes with it, but still, she gives and she loves. She is deadly, yet broken, dangerous yet beautifully emotional.
And Vexxion, Vexxion... I loved seeing glimpses of his true self, and I know we will get so much more of that in future books. He has a truly dark past, I believe we don't still don't understand the amount of his suffering. He is broken, beaten down but still manages to find his light, his little fury, his Tempest. He tries not to cave in, but it is so lovely witnessing his walls slowly crumbling down. Of course, there are so many secrets, so many things thrown and him and at them, so many facts working against them. But, here is to hope they will eventually find their way together.
Both Vexxion and Tempest are driven by rage and fury, driven by the loss of their loved ones, but it is more than revenge that unites them. I love how Alaya gave their relationship enough time to blossom, to become friends first and then lovers. Their dialogues and their banter is pure perfection, it flows so naturally and makes you root for them and their love to fight all the obstacles.
I laughed, I cried, I felt every emotion possible while reading A Kingdom of Bitter Magic. The book ends on a cliffhanger, and I'm left breathless waiting for the sequel and the continuation of Vexxion and Tempest's story. I know we will be gifted with more beautiful storytelling, more secrets, more betrayals, more pain, but more love as well, and I cannot wait for it. I'm telling you, you need, NEED to go and get yourself a copy of A Kingdom of Bitter Magic, and thank me later ✨
Some of the tropes you might like are
✨ Faes
✨ Dragons and dragon riders
✨ Strong and determined FMC, full of love
✨ Morally grey MMC
✨ Who did this to you
✨ Found family
✨ Secrets and betrayals
Go, run and get yourself A Kingdom of Bitter Magic!
A Kingdom of Bitter Magic is Book 1 in the Kingdom of Blighted Thorns series by Alaya Wells. It is a romantasy, written in dual POV, which is great since we get both sides of the story, of both main characters. The world-building is excellent, and while we are not showered with big chunks of information, we still get the story, the history, we understand what is going on between the Faes and the humans, we see the devastation, we learn who and what are dregs and Lieges. I won't spoil too much, but let me tell you - we are in the world divided by Faes and humans (Nullens), filled with dragons and dragon riders, humans fighting dregs and Lieges who destroy everything they see and take humans to fulfill theirs (or somebody else's) power-hungry goals.
We follow Tempest, a Nullen dragon trainer and rider fighting dregs while trying to find the good in her world and her surrounding. And we follow Vexxion, a prime example of a morally grey MMC, the one who would burn the world for her while still keeping secrets and goals we are yet to discover.
I feel like sometimes FMCs in romantasies tend to all look alike a bit, but that is not the case with Tempest. I loved how Alaya portrayed all of her layers - Tempest is fierce, strong and determined, but she is also full of love, kind and gentle. She loves her friends, the dragons she trains, and she truly gives it all. She is afraid of love and emotions, the pain that comes with it, but still, she gives and she loves. She is deadly, yet broken, dangerous yet beautifully emotional.
And Vexxion, Vexxion... I loved seeing glimpses of his true self, and I know we will get so much more of that in future books. He has a truly dark past, I believe we don't still don't understand the amount of his suffering. He is broken, beaten down but still manages to find his light, his little fury, his Tempest. He tries not to cave in, but it is so lovely witnessing his walls slowly crumbling down. Of course, there are so many secrets, so many things thrown and him and at them, so many facts working against them. But, here is to hope they will eventually find their way together.
Both Vexxion and Tempest are driven by rage and fury, driven by the loss of their loved ones, but it is more than revenge that unites them. I love how Alaya gave their relationship enough time to blossom, to become friends first and then lovers. Their dialogues and their banter is pure perfection, it flows so naturally and makes you root for them and their love to fight all the obstacles.
I laughed, I cried, I felt every emotion possible while reading A Kingdom of Bitter Magic. The book ends on a cliffhanger, and I'm left breathless waiting for the sequel and the continuation of Vexxion and Tempest's story. I know we will be gifted with more beautiful storytelling, more secrets, more betrayals, more pain, but more love as well, and I cannot wait for it. I'm telling you, you need, NEED to go and get yourself a copy of A Kingdom of Bitter Magic, and thank me later ✨
Some of the tropes you might like are
✨ Faes
✨ Dragons and dragon riders
✨ Strong and determined FMC, full of love
✨ Morally grey MMC
✨ Who did this to you
✨ Found family
✨ Secrets and betrayals
Go, run and get yourself A Kingdom of Bitter Magic!
April 5, 2024
Thank you to the author and Behind the Pages for allowing me access to this book as an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
« You’re a woman carved by her own circumstances, molded into something that might not actually fit. »
Rating: 2 ⭐️ DNF 20%
Genre: Fantasy Romance
Format: ARC Ebook
Pages: 470
Spice: ? 🌶️
POV: Double first POV
S/S: Kingdom of Blighted Thorns #1
Check trigger warnings for any book
Unfortunately, I didn’t match with the overall writing style.
Also, the insta-love within the first two chapters threw me completely out of the story before I could even get into it.
The characters felt like they had too much banter/chemistry whilst not knowing each other at all. Something felt off overall.
I might give this a go at a later date as I do believe this book could be great.
Leena - Leena.reader review - @leena.reader on tiktok and instagram
« You’re a woman carved by her own circumstances, molded into something that might not actually fit. »
Rating: 2 ⭐️ DNF 20%
Genre: Fantasy Romance
Format: ARC Ebook
Pages: 470
Spice: ? 🌶️
POV: Double first POV
S/S: Kingdom of Blighted Thorns #1
Check trigger warnings for any book
Unfortunately, I didn’t match with the overall writing style.
Also, the insta-love within the first two chapters threw me completely out of the story before I could even get into it.
The characters felt like they had too much banter/chemistry whilst not knowing each other at all. Something felt off overall.
I might give this a go at a later date as I do believe this book could be great.
Leena - Leena.reader review - @leena.reader on tiktok and instagram
February 9, 2025
I saw quite a few 5-star reviews, and there’s no way someone could rate it this high. I don't even know where to start, I have so many issues with this book. It reads as a NA or YA book, yet there’s constant lusting and smut (poorly executed, btw).
So let’s meet our characters:
He’s 6'6" tall, sapphire-blue-eyed brunette. A broody and powerful high Fae lord, who secretly takes care of his deceased mom’s rose garden.
She’s an orphan (is she though..), independent, snarly, strong-willed, prefers leathers to dresses and is good with animals. And she cares so much, doesn’t want to, but she CARES (what an angel). Decides to kill the Fae King because allegedly, rumours say, he Might be an evil guy and responsible for bad things happening in their world.
So, the first half of the book I found utterly hilarious. In the very beginning, our MMC, Vexxion, was following Tempest, our FMC, and acting so chaotic and weird. He reminded me of “Charlie Conspiracy Meme”. The only excuse for Tempest not reporting him to the commander was because he’s “hot”, clearly, thinking wasn’t her forte.
I managed to finish the book solely because the first part reminded me of "Selection Series" which was bad, but in a fun way and entertaining (until a certain point).
Although, we’re in a fantasy setting, the book is written in a very simple language, full of colloquialisms. I want to believe, if it was better edited, I would’ve written a better review. It shows that the writer was after using the popular tropes, what’s trendy, what sells better, but didn’t do a proper research to build a hard magic system and a believable/impressive fantasy setting.
The author didn’t provide a thorough explanation of a lot of things. E.g. let’s say the dragons are huge (because till the very end of the book it’s still unclear whether they’re a size of a pony or a house), how the dragon riders would be able to maintain a conversation without screaming on the top of their lungs, sometimes even touch other riders while mounted in the air; HOW they would be able to hit an enemy with a simple sword on the full speed, because from what I gathered Tempest has doesn’t have a longsword or any other type of mounted arsenal. Why “Liege” is spelled from a capital letter, while “dregs” is lower case?
It feels like the author comes up with the world building on the fly, as a lot of things seem not thought-through. Random exposition dumps happen repeatedly throughout the story.
Does the name of the book serves to describe any events or references anything in the story? No. Were dragons completely necessary for the plot? I would say, no. Can they be substituted by any other magical creatures? Yes. Do we know the exact size of the dragons and their “properties”? No. Is the magic system solid here, are there any magic laws? No. Were the sex scenes necessary to show the character development, was it important for their relationship? No. Does dual POV help moving the plot or help us understand the main characters better? No. I can keep going, but I feel it’s redundant at this point.
Everyone is keeping secrets from each other; so many problems would’ve been solved by a simple talk; endless dialogues (banter) lacking realism and sense, side characters undergone more development than Vex and Tempest.
The scene where Vexxion insists on Tempest wearing the clothing he chooses for her, “because he’s the only one touched it before it caresses her skin”. It weirds me out and gives some mafia boss romance vibes.
What I did like is how the author approached the loss of a beloved one, that everyone grieves in their own way, and how the main character treats animals with care and respect. That’s all.
The last 15-20% were the hardest for me, the story just kept dragging. It didn’t have to be sooo long. If we were to cut 40-50% of the book, nothing would change. Overall, I can’t recommend this book. There are much better executions of popular romantasy tropes.
P.S. If anyone going to say they didn’t see the “plot twist” coming, I’ll be forced to use violence.
So let’s meet our characters:
He’s 6'6" tall, sapphire-blue-eyed brunette. A broody and powerful high Fae lord, who secretly takes care of his deceased mom’s rose garden.
She’s an orphan (is she though..), independent, snarly, strong-willed, prefers leathers to dresses and is good with animals. And she cares so much, doesn’t want to, but she CARES (what an angel). Decides to kill the Fae King because allegedly, rumours say, he Might be an evil guy and responsible for bad things happening in their world.
So, the first half of the book I found utterly hilarious. In the very beginning, our MMC, Vexxion, was following Tempest, our FMC, and acting so chaotic and weird. He reminded me of “Charlie Conspiracy Meme”. The only excuse for Tempest not reporting him to the commander was because he’s “hot”, clearly, thinking wasn’t her forte.
I managed to finish the book solely because the first part reminded me of "Selection Series" which was bad, but in a fun way and entertaining (until a certain point).
Although, we’re in a fantasy setting, the book is written in a very simple language, full of colloquialisms. I want to believe, if it was better edited, I would’ve written a better review. It shows that the writer was after using the popular tropes, what’s trendy, what sells better, but didn’t do a proper research to build a hard magic system and a believable/impressive fantasy setting.
The author didn’t provide a thorough explanation of a lot of things. E.g. let’s say the dragons are huge (because till the very end of the book it’s still unclear whether they’re a size of a pony or a house), how the dragon riders would be able to maintain a conversation without screaming on the top of their lungs, sometimes even touch other riders while mounted in the air; HOW they would be able to hit an enemy with a simple sword on the full speed, because from what I gathered Tempest has doesn’t have a longsword or any other type of mounted arsenal. Why “Liege” is spelled from a capital letter, while “dregs” is lower case?
It feels like the author comes up with the world building on the fly, as a lot of things seem not thought-through. Random exposition dumps happen repeatedly throughout the story.
Does the name of the book serves to describe any events or references anything in the story? No. Were dragons completely necessary for the plot? I would say, no. Can they be substituted by any other magical creatures? Yes. Do we know the exact size of the dragons and their “properties”? No. Is the magic system solid here, are there any magic laws? No. Were the sex scenes necessary to show the character development, was it important for their relationship? No. Does dual POV help moving the plot or help us understand the main characters better? No. I can keep going, but I feel it’s redundant at this point.
Everyone is keeping secrets from each other; so many problems would’ve been solved by a simple talk; endless dialogues (banter) lacking realism and sense, side characters undergone more development than Vex and Tempest.
The scene where Vexxion insists on Tempest wearing the clothing he chooses for her, “because he’s the only one touched it before it caresses her skin”. It weirds me out and gives some mafia boss romance vibes.
What I did like is how the author approached the loss of a beloved one, that everyone grieves in their own way, and how the main character treats animals with care and respect. That’s all.
The last 15-20% were the hardest for me, the story just kept dragging. It didn’t have to be sooo long. If we were to cut 40-50% of the book, nothing would change. Overall, I can’t recommend this book. There are much better executions of popular romantasy tropes.
P.S. If anyone going to say they didn’t see the “plot twist” coming, I’ll be forced to use violence.
Want to read
January 11, 2025I am so keen to read this but the reviews are NOT selling me on this one
March 15, 2025
DNF @ 20%.
Even though this novel is dual POV... I gave it a try.
Sadly, it reads as though it was written by a teenager with terms like : "crushing on" and "no way".
Whilst that might work for teenagers and younger people, I find that kind of slang writing irritating and off putting.
The story itself seems fine and probably would have been enjoyable, sadly the narrative is not.
Even though this novel is dual POV... I gave it a try.
Sadly, it reads as though it was written by a teenager with terms like : "crushing on" and "no way".
Whilst that might work for teenagers and younger people, I find that kind of slang writing irritating and off putting.
The story itself seems fine and probably would have been enjoyable, sadly the narrative is not.
April 29, 2024
THIS CLIFFHANGER ENDING
I don't know what it is, with all these books I'm reading right now and these horrible cliffhangers LOL.
AKOBM is the first book in a new trilogy from debut author Alaya Wells, and I absolutely loved it!
Right from the start, this book was fast-paced, full of action and danger, with intrigue, an evil king, fae magic, and romance. I love our MCs - Tempest is strong, determined, and I really love her. I think there is so much more we are going to learn about her in the next book.
And Vexxion - well hello new book boyfriend lol. He's dangerous, lethal, hates everyone but her, is considered an enemy to Tempest and humans, and I love him haha. He's definitely that "I'll kill anyone that touches you" and possessive and slightly stalker-ish in a sexy way that only romance books can dish out.
It's hard to talk about the way this book ends without giving away major spoilers. I kinda guessed what was coming since it just made sense, but I'm still also a bit shocked at how things ended up, and how Tempest and Vexxion can possibly get back to where they were just 5 chapters prior to this ending.
The start of this book, I felt like the sass and banter was maybe a bit toooo strong? Like it was dialed up to 11 for the UST-filled banter parts, and I think that did slightly throw me from the story. I feel like once the action kicked into a new gear, things really started flowing and the pace just didn't let up.
I NEED the second book like pronto LOL. This was so great!!
I received a copy for a book tour and a review. My thoughts are my own.
I don't know what it is, with all these books I'm reading right now and these horrible cliffhangers LOL.
AKOBM is the first book in a new trilogy from debut author Alaya Wells, and I absolutely loved it!
Right from the start, this book was fast-paced, full of action and danger, with intrigue, an evil king, fae magic, and romance. I love our MCs - Tempest is strong, determined, and I really love her. I think there is so much more we are going to learn about her in the next book.
And Vexxion - well hello new book boyfriend lol. He's dangerous, lethal, hates everyone but her, is considered an enemy to Tempest and humans, and I love him haha. He's definitely that "I'll kill anyone that touches you" and possessive and slightly stalker-ish in a sexy way that only romance books can dish out.
It's hard to talk about the way this book ends without giving away major spoilers. I kinda guessed what was coming since it just made sense, but I'm still also a bit shocked at how things ended up, and how Tempest and Vexxion can possibly get back to where they were just 5 chapters prior to this ending.
The start of this book, I felt like the sass and banter was maybe a bit toooo strong? Like it was dialed up to 11 for the UST-filled banter parts, and I think that did slightly throw me from the story. I feel like once the action kicked into a new gear, things really started flowing and the pace just didn't let up.
I NEED the second book like pronto LOL. This was so great!!
I received a copy for a book tour and a review. My thoughts are my own.
January 1, 2025
I always fall for pretty covers and exciting plot... this book is not worth it. I can't even describe all the things that are wrong.
August 17, 2024
So Drawn Out
I was like dragons and dragon riding this will be fun, but nothing was really explained and this was just so drawn out. All this time building a character relationships for no real purpose than boning.
The world building lacking, the plot was just there but not a driving force. I was actually annoyed by the time the characters got intimate and over it before the reveal and cliffy.
Honestly even though I just finished I do not remember half of what I read or any purpose behind it.
I was like dragons and dragon riding this will be fun, but nothing was really explained and this was just so drawn out. All this time building a character relationships for no real purpose than boning.
The world building lacking, the plot was just there but not a driving force. I was actually annoyed by the time the characters got intimate and over it before the reveal and cliffy.
Honestly even though I just finished I do not remember half of what I read or any purpose behind it.
January 22, 2025
I was immediately sucked into this one! The world was established pretty quick and focused on the relationships majority of the time. There are so many secrets that I can't wait get unravelled through the rest of the series! I'm honestly a little stressed about what Tempest is going to do when everything starts coming to light 😅
𝑺𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒔𝒕𝒐𝒓𝒎 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑰, 𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒕𝒆𝒄𝒕𝒐𝒓.
Vexxion and Tempest are in for it 😮💨 Both of them are reluctant to trust, which I totally get, but I also feel like a lot of what's going to happen could be fixed by opening up just a tiiiiiny little bit 🤏🏻
𝑾𝒂𝒊𝒕 𝒖𝒏𝒕𝒊𝒍 𝒔𝒉𝒆 𝒅𝒊𝒔𝒄𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒆𝒅 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒚𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑰’𝒅 𝒅𝒐𝒏𝒆.
𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒏 𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒇𝒖𝒓𝒚 𝒘𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒌𝒏𝒐𝒘 𝒏𝒐 𝒃𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒅𝒔. 𝑺𝒉𝒆’𝒅 𝒃𝒆 𝒈𝒍𝒐𝒓𝒊𝒐𝒖𝒔. 𝑺𝒑𝒊𝒕𝒆𝒇𝒖𝒍. 𝑨𝒏𝒅 𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒑𝒍𝒆𝒕𝒆𝒍𝒚 𝒂𝒎𝒂𝒛𝒊𝒏𝒈.
So much fucking heartbreak happened already and I'm not sure if I can take anymore in the next book! I cried my eyes out. I knew it was coming-it's in the blurb-but it doesn't make it ANY less devastating 😭
𝑺𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒔𝒕𝒐𝒓𝒎 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑰, 𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒕𝒆𝒄𝒕𝒐𝒓.
Vexxion and Tempest are in for it 😮💨 Both of them are reluctant to trust, which I totally get, but I also feel like a lot of what's going to happen could be fixed by opening up just a tiiiiiny little bit 🤏🏻
𝑾𝒂𝒊𝒕 𝒖𝒏𝒕𝒊𝒍 𝒔𝒉𝒆 𝒅𝒊𝒔𝒄𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒆𝒅 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒚𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑰’𝒅 𝒅𝒐𝒏𝒆.
𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒏 𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒇𝒖𝒓𝒚 𝒘𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒌𝒏𝒐𝒘 𝒏𝒐 𝒃𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒅𝒔. 𝑺𝒉𝒆’𝒅 𝒃𝒆 𝒈𝒍𝒐𝒓𝒊𝒐𝒖𝒔. 𝑺𝒑𝒊𝒕𝒆𝒇𝒖𝒍. 𝑨𝒏𝒅 𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒑𝒍𝒆𝒕𝒆𝒍𝒚 𝒂𝒎𝒂𝒛𝒊𝒏𝒈.
So much fucking heartbreak happened already and I'm not sure if I can take anymore in the next book! I cried my eyes out. I knew it was coming-it's in the blurb-but it doesn't make it ANY less devastating 😭
April 2, 2024
This book is definitely a five star read 🫢 It has dragons, fae, magic, kingdoms, fated mates touch her and 💀and more. This book now has a grip on me and I definitely need the second book now or as soon as possible. It does end on a cliffhanger and I was eating every part of this book up. Alaya knows how to pull readers in and have them wanting the next book, because that’s exactly how I’m feeling. I love the story, the world building goes crazy and the character background, their stories are so detailed and so needed that it hooks you in and keeps you there wanting more.
It did in the beginning start out slow, but it was definitely worth it! I understand and followed along with the story and am excited to see more of what will happen. The spice in this book, the teasing and the tension was phenomenal. 🙌 I was giggling, kicking my feet and overall just eating up every part of it. I am so glad I was able to arc read this book and once it comes out, I am for sure snagging a physical copy of it.
Please Alaya, please have the second book come out very soon 🙏 I need to know what happens!
It did in the beginning start out slow, but it was definitely worth it! I understand and followed along with the story and am excited to see more of what will happen. The spice in this book, the teasing and the tension was phenomenal. 🙌 I was giggling, kicking my feet and overall just eating up every part of it. I am so glad I was able to arc read this book and once it comes out, I am for sure snagging a physical copy of it.
Please Alaya, please have the second book come out very soon 🙏 I need to know what happens!
August 27, 2024
This book was really surprising.
At first I wasn't sure that I was going to enjoy this read, but the story pulled me in and before I knew it, I found it hard to put down.
This is definitely a slow burn read, with a lot of character and relationship building. Toss together some fae, dragons, magic and a super yummy MMC and the wicked cliff hanger ending and here I am rating this 5 stars. I am going straight into reading the next book in this series as I am dying to find out what happens next. This cliffhanger was wicked with a twist of WTF?! and though I should be going to bed I am instead staying up to get at least a few chapter of the next book in because I just cannot wait.
At first I wasn't sure that I was going to enjoy this read, but the story pulled me in and before I knew it, I found it hard to put down.
This is definitely a slow burn read, with a lot of character and relationship building. Toss together some fae, dragons, magic and a super yummy MMC and the wicked cliff hanger ending and here I am rating this 5 stars. I am going straight into reading the next book in this series as I am dying to find out what happens next. This cliffhanger was wicked with a twist of WTF?! and though I should be going to bed I am instead staying up to get at least a few chapter of the next book in because I just cannot wait.
November 20, 2025
Mixed feelings, on the one had I really like the plot & world its set in (could use some more world building), but the dialog was so bad and juvenile at times it pulled me out of the story. Ooof and the spicy scenes are so hard to listen to. Overall just not a writing style I enjoyed. I will probably read the next one, because again I do like the overall storyline and I want to know what happens. Hoping the author matured in her writing as the series goes on, because she shows promise.
MF - spicy but no bueno IMO
MF - spicy but no bueno IMO
June 10, 2024
✨A Kingdom of Bitter Magic✨
I think I found another favorite series and this is just book one! To me, this is a perfect representation of both a true Romantasy novel AND a morally grey MMC (who has also rocketed to my top book boyfriends).
In AKOBM, we follow 2 POVs. First, Tempest, a dragon trainer/rider who was left as a baby at the aerie and made it her home. Second, Vexxion, our morally grey MMC whose true identity is hidden and initially arrived to the aerie for a one day mission but found something he couldn’t leave behind… and suddenly his initial plans have changed to encompass her.
After Tempest’s brother passes away during a raid and one of the Leige’s give her info that rocks her world, her new mission becomes REVENGE and it just so happens the new male following around her is perfect to help her achieve it. Little does she know, he has something similar in mind.
This book is just so delightful. The relationship, tension, and banter between Tempest and Vex is utter perfection. I loved how it began and how @alayawellswrites continued to build on their foundation, peeling back layers between them. The forced proximity was amazing. The POV from Vex was 👩🍳💋. I love his development. Tempest is so strong and equally lovable.
All the vibes for this one. 🙌🙌🙌
Some tropes you may find in AKOBM are fated mates (?), forced proximity, dragons and riders, fae, unique world building and magic system, cute side kick, hidden identities, plot twists, banter, moderate language, spice 4/5, slow burn, touch her and die, stalker-ish boy, would burn and k!ll for her, “good girl”, “you’re mine”, “eyes on me”, and feminine rage.
Just an utter delight. I CANNOT wait for the next installments. 👏👏👏
I think I found another favorite series and this is just book one! To me, this is a perfect representation of both a true Romantasy novel AND a morally grey MMC (who has also rocketed to my top book boyfriends).
In AKOBM, we follow 2 POVs. First, Tempest, a dragon trainer/rider who was left as a baby at the aerie and made it her home. Second, Vexxion, our morally grey MMC whose true identity is hidden and initially arrived to the aerie for a one day mission but found something he couldn’t leave behind… and suddenly his initial plans have changed to encompass her.
After Tempest’s brother passes away during a raid and one of the Leige’s give her info that rocks her world, her new mission becomes REVENGE and it just so happens the new male following around her is perfect to help her achieve it. Little does she know, he has something similar in mind.
This book is just so delightful. The relationship, tension, and banter between Tempest and Vex is utter perfection. I loved how it began and how @alayawellswrites continued to build on their foundation, peeling back layers between them. The forced proximity was amazing. The POV from Vex was 👩🍳💋. I love his development. Tempest is so strong and equally lovable.
All the vibes for this one. 🙌🙌🙌
Some tropes you may find in AKOBM are fated mates (?), forced proximity, dragons and riders, fae, unique world building and magic system, cute side kick, hidden identities, plot twists, banter, moderate language, spice 4/5, slow burn, touch her and die, stalker-ish boy, would burn and k!ll for her, “good girl”, “you’re mine”, “eyes on me”, and feminine rage.
Just an utter delight. I CANNOT wait for the next installments. 👏👏👏
January 4, 2026
Honestly I skimmed a lot of it but once it got to be more of the couple romantic stuff, it got better. The entire book gives off Forth Wing vibes from the dragon riders to the mid talking to the FMC who has a disability. So I guess if you want to read that, you’d probably enjoy this book. Cliffhanger.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 30, 2024
Loved the series! Binged it for 3 days! Enjoyed every bit of it. Made it to my Kindle's VIP dark fantasy list and will buy the paperback!
Read
January 13, 2026DNF just not into the writing style or plot
September 7, 2025
dnf 5% felt like reading a wattpad book
September 12, 2024
3.5 stars.
I think if you want a spicy story that's more light on the fantasy elements (world building, adventure) than this would be a good pick for you.
I think if you want a spicy story that's more light on the fantasy elements (world building, adventure) than this would be a good pick for you.
December 29, 2024
DNF 66%
The writting is terrible. Too much introspection, weird introspection and way too deep and often confusing introspection. She loved him, she doesn't. She trusted him, she doesn't. She's a fighter and describe as strong and all those clichés, but he carried her everytime she feels an emotion, after some much needed (!) introspection. I feel that the writer tried to be deep and meaningful. It's just painful. And who take this much baths in frozen rivers ???
And the world building. Worst ever. Took me too much time to understand a thing, and I read some heavy stuff compare to this. Still can't figure what a dreg or a liege looks like. And the dragons, are they big or not ? Sometime, it looks like they are the size of a house, sometime the size of a horse. She says riders eat really well because they are precious for battle, but then, they lived in small shacks with terrible sheets ? I tried. Really hard. But no.
The writting is terrible. Too much introspection, weird introspection and way too deep and often confusing introspection. She loved him, she doesn't. She trusted him, she doesn't. She's a fighter and describe as strong and all those clichés, but he carried her everytime she feels an emotion, after some much needed (!) introspection. I feel that the writer tried to be deep and meaningful. It's just painful. And who take this much baths in frozen rivers ???
And the world building. Worst ever. Took me too much time to understand a thing, and I read some heavy stuff compare to this. Still can't figure what a dreg or a liege looks like. And the dragons, are they big or not ? Sometime, it looks like they are the size of a house, sometime the size of a horse. She says riders eat really well because they are precious for battle, but then, they lived in small shacks with terrible sheets ? I tried. Really hard. But no.
September 23, 2024
An entertaining book with potential that requires polish! 2.75 Stars
The story itself is interesting and entertaining, but unfortunately the writing itself needs more work. It feels at times like is moving too fast and jumps too quickly from one place to another. Like you have missed something in between. I was captivated by the beginning of the book and it showed a lot of potential. It needs more context, world building and character development. I hope the author takes this as constructive criticism.
The story itself is interesting and entertaining, but unfortunately the writing itself needs more work. It feels at times like is moving too fast and jumps too quickly from one place to another. Like you have missed something in between. I was captivated by the beginning of the book and it showed a lot of potential. It needs more context, world building and character development. I hope the author takes this as constructive criticism.
May 10, 2024
This story is the first in a three part “series”, but in actuality this story ends on a cliffhanger and will continue in the next story (the author clearly states this in the stories blurb). The story takes place in a land occupied by people with no magic called nullens and the magic using fae, along with dragons and other beasts intent on taking the nullens prisoners. Tempest, our heroine, was abandoned as a child and raised to kill the beasts threatening the nullens. Vexxion arrives at the outpost where Tempest lives and the story begins. This story is complex in its plot but yet soooooo good, each chapter brings another twist to the storyline. Well worth the read!
September 1, 2024
I quit reading pretty early on. Just didn't seem like good writing. Kind of expositional, and choppy movement between character interactions and their emotional states. Gave it 3 because I didn't get very far, so it seemed unfair to do less?
August 4, 2024
I couldn’t do it.
April 10, 2024
Vexxion, the MMC: “I hadn’t asked questions. I never did.”
“I’d played the role of the Wraithweave master, the one controlling every other piece on the board.” What a conflicted character. Vex sees his fated mate (I think) and just decides to become her guard, her constant shadow. This is not a master planner and manipulator of the pawns. This is a person who wants to delve deeper into the fate given.
When he sees Tempest training her dragon, their eyes lock, and he realizes his world has changed. We don’t know why, but he starts following her around like her own shadow, preparing her meals, jumping in between her and her enemies...
Tempest: FMC, an orphan who is now a dragon trainer for the Nullin camp. Despite a lame leg, she is capable of protecting the village against the raiders they call Dregs. When she was only 4 years old, she arrived already scarred and scared, and her life has been devoted to protecting the Nullins, or humans without powers, against Dregs, or golems. She is not a wilting flower, so Vexxion’s interference is not appreciated.
Tempest is self-assured enough to think she can assassinate the fae king. The Nullins, people like her, are riding dragons along the war front to protect the other Nullins, but they are suffering under his rule. To accomplish this, she requests the option to bond to a fae, which means collaring and control. For some reason Tempest thinks she is immune to the magic.
Vexxion trains her and protects her. Their feelings are so strong that the plot twist at the end will toss you sideways like a car wreck. Make sure book 2 is out before you read this!
The Romance: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
“Flames licked down my spine, and my skin rippled. ”
“I need to have sex,” I muttered, detaching myself from his gloriousness.
“Is that an offer?” he asked dryly.
“I’m not that dizzy yet.”
⁃ Who Hurt You?
⁃ I shouldn’t want you
⁃ Dual POV, first-person
⁃ Spicy, open-door assignations
⁃ Collaring
⁃ He dotes on her
The side characters:
⁃ Reyla: Tempest’s closest girl friend, who is madly in love with another
⁃ Kinart: Reyla’s lover and Tempest’s other BFF
⁃ Brodine: wanna-be boyfriend, but Tempest has no interest in him
“I’d played the role of the Wraithweave master, the one controlling every other piece on the board.” What a conflicted character. Vex sees his fated mate (I think) and just decides to become her guard, her constant shadow. This is not a master planner and manipulator of the pawns. This is a person who wants to delve deeper into the fate given.
When he sees Tempest training her dragon, their eyes lock, and he realizes his world has changed. We don’t know why, but he starts following her around like her own shadow, preparing her meals, jumping in between her and her enemies...
Tempest: FMC, an orphan who is now a dragon trainer for the Nullin camp. Despite a lame leg, she is capable of protecting the village against the raiders they call Dregs. When she was only 4 years old, she arrived already scarred and scared, and her life has been devoted to protecting the Nullins, or humans without powers, against Dregs, or golems. She is not a wilting flower, so Vexxion’s interference is not appreciated.
Tempest is self-assured enough to think she can assassinate the fae king. The Nullins, people like her, are riding dragons along the war front to protect the other Nullins, but they are suffering under his rule. To accomplish this, she requests the option to bond to a fae, which means collaring and control. For some reason Tempest thinks she is immune to the magic.
Vexxion trains her and protects her. Their feelings are so strong that the plot twist at the end will toss you sideways like a car wreck. Make sure book 2 is out before you read this!
The Romance: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
“Flames licked down my spine, and my skin rippled. ”
“I need to have sex,” I muttered, detaching myself from his gloriousness.
“Is that an offer?” he asked dryly.
“I’m not that dizzy yet.”
⁃ Who Hurt You?
⁃ I shouldn’t want you
⁃ Dual POV, first-person
⁃ Spicy, open-door assignations
⁃ Collaring
⁃ He dotes on her
The side characters:
⁃ Reyla: Tempest’s closest girl friend, who is madly in love with another
⁃ Kinart: Reyla’s lover and Tempest’s other BFF
⁃ Brodine: wanna-be boyfriend, but Tempest has no interest in him
December 5, 2024
Great beginning to the series
This storyline was imaginative, characters brilliant, and the writing addictive, all amidst phenomenal world building which is woven together scene by scene, layer by layer until it became a living breathing place full of three dimensional beings. This is the first book in a trilogy so be prepared for the resolution of smaller story arcs but also for no resolution of the main story arc. Tempest is an orphaned non-magical Nullen who is a dragon trainer and rider. She lives and works at one of the border fortresses in the Nullen realm. One of her legs is heavily scarred but she doesn’t let it limit her fierceness. Vexxion is the fae high lord of Weldsbane Court. He too is scarred but also magically powerful and morally gray. He came to the Nullen fortress on an errand but is pulled to Tempest the moment he feels her. When Tempest’s brother of her heart is killed, she swears vengeance against the fae king and enlists Vexxion’s help. To kill the king, she will have to go to the claiming, deal with her increasing feelings for Vexxion, unlock and train with her magic. This is not a flowery love story full of sunshine and rainbows. It is a dark fantasy. But there is also light here, goodness, hope, and love and is therefore a deeply emotional book. At its heart, it’s a story of stunted, damaged and bruised but not broken people who find their way together by owning their choices, recognizing their scars, finding their strength, embracing the life they have, and deciding to be the best version of themselves. It’s a story about the power of choice. This epic story included engaging dialogue, three dimensional characters, and a captivating storyline as shown through intrigue, fighting, dangerous situations, paranormal creatures, evil masterminds, henchmen, loyal friends and family, tragic back stories, secrets, mystical coincidences, snark, laughs, spice, and unexpected plots twists. I am looking forward to reading the next book in the trilogy. 4.5 stars.
This storyline was imaginative, characters brilliant, and the writing addictive, all amidst phenomenal world building which is woven together scene by scene, layer by layer until it became a living breathing place full of three dimensional beings. This is the first book in a trilogy so be prepared for the resolution of smaller story arcs but also for no resolution of the main story arc. Tempest is an orphaned non-magical Nullen who is a dragon trainer and rider. She lives and works at one of the border fortresses in the Nullen realm. One of her legs is heavily scarred but she doesn’t let it limit her fierceness. Vexxion is the fae high lord of Weldsbane Court. He too is scarred but also magically powerful and morally gray. He came to the Nullen fortress on an errand but is pulled to Tempest the moment he feels her. When Tempest’s brother of her heart is killed, she swears vengeance against the fae king and enlists Vexxion’s help. To kill the king, she will have to go to the claiming, deal with her increasing feelings for Vexxion, unlock and train with her magic. This is not a flowery love story full of sunshine and rainbows. It is a dark fantasy. But there is also light here, goodness, hope, and love and is therefore a deeply emotional book. At its heart, it’s a story of stunted, damaged and bruised but not broken people who find their way together by owning their choices, recognizing their scars, finding their strength, embracing the life they have, and deciding to be the best version of themselves. It’s a story about the power of choice. This epic story included engaging dialogue, three dimensional characters, and a captivating storyline as shown through intrigue, fighting, dangerous situations, paranormal creatures, evil masterminds, henchmen, loyal friends and family, tragic back stories, secrets, mystical coincidences, snark, laughs, spice, and unexpected plots twists. I am looking forward to reading the next book in the trilogy. 4.5 stars.
June 15, 2024
𝐀 𝐊𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐝𝐨𝐦 𝐨𝐟 𝐁𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐌𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐜 (𝐊𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐝𝐨𝐦 𝐨𝐟 𝐁𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐧𝐬, 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝟏) by Alaya Wells
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“𝕐𝕠𝕦𝕣 𝕖𝕧𝕖𝕣𝕪 𝕤𝕔𝕒𝕣, 𝕪𝕠𝕦𝕣 𝕖𝕧𝕖𝕣𝕪 𝕗𝕝𝕒𝕨, 𝕚𝕤 𝕒 𝕓𝕣𝕚𝕝𝕝𝕚𝕒𝕟𝕥 𝕓𝕦𝕣𝕤𝕥 𝕠𝕗 𝕒 𝕤𝕥𝕒𝕣 𝕗𝕚𝕘𝕙𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕤𝕦𝕟’𝕤 𝕝𝕚𝕘𝕙𝕥 𝕒𝕥 𝕕𝕒𝕨𝕟. 𝕐𝕠𝕦’𝕣𝕖 𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕝, 𝕣𝕒𝕨, 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕚𝕞𝕡𝕖𝕣𝕗𝕖𝕔𝕥𝕝𝕪 𝕡𝕖𝕣𝕗𝕖𝕔𝕥.” -𝕍𝕖𝕩𝕩𝕚𝕠𝕟
Okay, okay, okay, you’re telling me I have to wait A MONTH for book 2?! 😭 The author really left us hanging with that last chapter! I really enjoyed this book, even if it was a tad bit predictable at the end, but I still am biting my nails to see what happens next!
🔥 MINOR SPOILERS AHEAD! 🔥
Tempest is an orphan nullen (non-magic) who’s been living at a fortress since she was a young child. Her and her friends-turned-family care for and train the dragons that they use to help protect the fortress and village from the dregs, a creature that feeds on human flesh, and the Lieges that control them. Or so she’s been told her entire life. Vexxion comes to the fortress and is immediately drawn to Tempest, his tiny fury, and vows to protect and teach her. After her adoptive brother is murdered during a fight with the dregs, she learns the truth: the fae king is responsible for the dregs/Lieges and is using them to drain the nullen of their energy to further fuel the dregs and maintain control of the kingdom. She vows to destroy the fae king but she’s got to get to him first. That’s where Vex comes in; Claim her at the upcoming Claiming so she can get close to the king and kill him. The story ends on a cliffhanger when Tempest is brought in front of the fae king and finds out that Vexxion may not have been the person she fell in love with along the way…
This book has everything that a fantasy/romantasy reader is looking for… dragons, found family, fated mates, broody MMC, “touch her and die”, hidden magic, etc. so how could I not love it?! I love a good dual POV so you can really get to know both characters on a deeper level!
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“𝕐𝕠𝕦𝕣 𝕖𝕧𝕖𝕣𝕪 𝕤𝕔𝕒𝕣, 𝕪𝕠𝕦𝕣 𝕖𝕧𝕖𝕣𝕪 𝕗𝕝𝕒𝕨, 𝕚𝕤 𝕒 𝕓𝕣𝕚𝕝𝕝𝕚𝕒𝕟𝕥 𝕓𝕦𝕣𝕤𝕥 𝕠𝕗 𝕒 𝕤𝕥𝕒𝕣 𝕗𝕚𝕘𝕙𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕤𝕦𝕟’𝕤 𝕝𝕚𝕘𝕙𝕥 𝕒𝕥 𝕕𝕒𝕨𝕟. 𝕐𝕠𝕦’𝕣𝕖 𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕝, 𝕣𝕒𝕨, 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕚𝕞𝕡𝕖𝕣𝕗𝕖𝕔𝕥𝕝𝕪 𝕡𝕖𝕣𝕗𝕖𝕔𝕥.” -𝕍𝕖𝕩𝕩𝕚𝕠𝕟
Okay, okay, okay, you’re telling me I have to wait A MONTH for book 2?! 😭 The author really left us hanging with that last chapter! I really enjoyed this book, even if it was a tad bit predictable at the end, but I still am biting my nails to see what happens next!
🔥 MINOR SPOILERS AHEAD! 🔥
Tempest is an orphan nullen (non-magic) who’s been living at a fortress since she was a young child. Her and her friends-turned-family care for and train the dragons that they use to help protect the fortress and village from the dregs, a creature that feeds on human flesh, and the Lieges that control them. Or so she’s been told her entire life. Vexxion comes to the fortress and is immediately drawn to Tempest, his tiny fury, and vows to protect and teach her. After her adoptive brother is murdered during a fight with the dregs, she learns the truth: the fae king is responsible for the dregs/Lieges and is using them to drain the nullen of their energy to further fuel the dregs and maintain control of the kingdom. She vows to destroy the fae king but she’s got to get to him first. That’s where Vex comes in; Claim her at the upcoming Claiming so she can get close to the king and kill him. The story ends on a cliffhanger when Tempest is brought in front of the fae king and finds out that Vexxion may not have been the person she fell in love with along the way…
This book has everything that a fantasy/romantasy reader is looking for… dragons, found family, fated mates, broody MMC, “touch her and die”, hidden magic, etc. so how could I not love it?! I love a good dual POV so you can really get to know both characters on a deeper level!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 22, 2025
Ruined by so many clichés
Every cliché you could think of is in this book.
I'm not sure who the target audience is because it tries to wrap everything into it while ultimately standing on nothing.
The romance is nonsensical. There's nothing built into it but repetitive poetic description. There's no chemistry, though Wells desperately tries to slam it into you that there is. Instead of all the flowery colloquialisms, if Wells had actually put effort into the relationship, this would've been better.
There's not much of a plot here. I'd say this was a build-up book, but it really wasn't. It's just a lot of fluff with nothing to show for it.
The twist wasn't very twisty. But also, there wasn't much misdirection. Instead, it was just avoided in mention. Like, surprise! Without a reason to be surprised. But we're not surprised because, yeah, this had been done before. Like everything else in this book.
The dreaded don't know where they begin or where they end is in here twice, because why would once be enough? It shouldn't be anywhere, ever. It's so overused and means nothing.
I did like that there are side characters that mean something. Reyla was done well, especially her grief. Tempest had her moments, but her character and behavior don't make sense for the world she lives in.
She's kind of crippled. So it didn't make sense that she'd go on raids. Her leg made her a liability, and she was more likely the first one to be killed when it gave out.
Vexxion was half a character. His perspective was mostly feminine poetry. He wasn't real. I don't think his perspective added anything to the read.
I don't know. It wasn't great, but I've read much worse. I did actually finish it.
Every cliché you could think of is in this book.
I'm not sure who the target audience is because it tries to wrap everything into it while ultimately standing on nothing.
The romance is nonsensical. There's nothing built into it but repetitive poetic description. There's no chemistry, though Wells desperately tries to slam it into you that there is. Instead of all the flowery colloquialisms, if Wells had actually put effort into the relationship, this would've been better.
There's not much of a plot here. I'd say this was a build-up book, but it really wasn't. It's just a lot of fluff with nothing to show for it.
The twist wasn't very twisty. But also, there wasn't much misdirection. Instead, it was just avoided in mention. Like, surprise! Without a reason to be surprised. But we're not surprised because, yeah, this had been done before. Like everything else in this book.
The dreaded don't know where they begin or where they end is in here twice, because why would once be enough? It shouldn't be anywhere, ever. It's so overused and means nothing.
I did like that there are side characters that mean something. Reyla was done well, especially her grief. Tempest had her moments, but her character and behavior don't make sense for the world she lives in.
She's kind of crippled. So it didn't make sense that she'd go on raids. Her leg made her a liability, and she was more likely the first one to be killed when it gave out.
Vexxion was half a character. His perspective was mostly feminine poetry. He wasn't real. I don't think his perspective added anything to the read.
I don't know. It wasn't great, but I've read much worse. I did actually finish it.
May 20, 2024
5⭐️ 2.5🌶️
A Kingdom of Bitter Magic proved to be a fast-paced, engaging romantasy with a massive cliffhanger ending by debut author Alaya Wells. The book centers around Tempest a dragon rider and trainer who lives at a border fortress on the edge of Nullen territory. Vexxion is a morally grey fae lord tasked with delivering a message to the fortress she is stationed. He stays after discovering her presence and an attempted murder on her life. She wants nothing to do with him initially but as their relationship develops and life-changing events shatter her world she finds he may be the only one able to help her get her revenge.
A Kingdom of Bitter Magic kept me on the edge of my seat wanting to know what happens next. Both the main and supporting characters are well-written and relatable and I look forward to seeing where the sequel novels move these wonderful characters. The romance element of the book was well written with spice adding to the plot but not detracting from the fantasy elements of the world.
A Kingdom of Bitter Magic is a perfect read for readers who enjoy books such as A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J Maas and A Court this Cruel and Lovely by Stacia Stark.
Enemies to Lovers
Strong and independent FMC
Morally Grey MMC
4-5 spice scenes
Touch her and die vibes
Deaths of characters close to the main character
Stalker-ish vibes.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
A Kingdom of Bitter Magic proved to be a fast-paced, engaging romantasy with a massive cliffhanger ending by debut author Alaya Wells. The book centers around Tempest a dragon rider and trainer who lives at a border fortress on the edge of Nullen territory. Vexxion is a morally grey fae lord tasked with delivering a message to the fortress she is stationed. He stays after discovering her presence and an attempted murder on her life. She wants nothing to do with him initially but as their relationship develops and life-changing events shatter her world she finds he may be the only one able to help her get her revenge.
A Kingdom of Bitter Magic kept me on the edge of my seat wanting to know what happens next. Both the main and supporting characters are well-written and relatable and I look forward to seeing where the sequel novels move these wonderful characters. The romance element of the book was well written with spice adding to the plot but not detracting from the fantasy elements of the world.
A Kingdom of Bitter Magic is a perfect read for readers who enjoy books such as A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J Maas and A Court this Cruel and Lovely by Stacia Stark.
Enemies to Lovers
Strong and independent FMC
Morally Grey MMC
4-5 spice scenes
Touch her and die vibes
Deaths of characters close to the main character
Stalker-ish vibes.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
December 25, 2025
1st reading: Well written in that there are only minor grammatical, spelling, and punctuation errors, although the prose is a bit awkward or clumsy in the first third or so of the book. The two main characters are well developed, but secondary characters are less so.
Parts of the story drag a bit; it feels at the moment like there are a lot of "filler" scenes to pad out the book. (I'll know more when I read the next installment.) There are also some continuity issues, mainly in that the first half or more of the book there are frequent references to the scarring on the FMC's left leg and how she often stumbles or has to drag it; then in the latter part of the book all mention of her difficulties disappear, and there's only one scene (maybe two?) where her scars are talked about.
The plot feels somewhat simple (though again, that may change as the trilogy continues), and the "twist" at the end was something I could see happening from almost the very beginning of the book. Maybe that was intended? Or have I just read too many romantasy books by this point? Regardless, I'm curious to see how the conflicts are resolved (as I haven't been able to work that out yet), so I will be continuing to the next novel. And while I may rail at contemporary romance novels about people's lack of communication being the source of their issues, in romantasy there are so many other factors built into the reasons why the characters don't reveal their secrets that I don't mind it as much.
Parts of the story drag a bit; it feels at the moment like there are a lot of "filler" scenes to pad out the book. (I'll know more when I read the next installment.) There are also some continuity issues, mainly in that the first half or more of the book there are frequent references to the scarring on the FMC's left leg and how she often stumbles or has to drag it; then in the latter part of the book all mention of her difficulties disappear, and there's only one scene (maybe two?) where her scars are talked about.
The plot feels somewhat simple (though again, that may change as the trilogy continues), and the "twist" at the end was something I could see happening from almost the very beginning of the book. Maybe that was intended? Or have I just read too many romantasy books by this point? Regardless, I'm curious to see how the conflicts are resolved (as I haven't been able to work that out yet), so I will be continuing to the next novel. And while I may rail at contemporary romance novels about people's lack of communication being the source of their issues, in romantasy there are so many other factors built into the reasons why the characters don't reveal their secrets that I don't mind it as much.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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